I would die for you
by SakuraStories
Summary: The Leaf has assisted a nearby village during an invasion. Sakura is working non stop due to the short # of medics. Kakashi still refuses to seek medical attention. How far will they go to save each other? M for Language.
1. The Medic

I do not own Naruto

I have a story playing out in my head and despite me working, I am going to attempt to write it. Dont know how long it will be, but we will see.

This is a Kaka/Saku fic. The rating for this story is M for language so far and a scene that might be considered sketchy by some, but the reason behind the rating may change later, all depending on how things go.

With that said, here we go...

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER ONE<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>The Medic<strong>

Sakura wiped her brow with the sleeve of her white medic jacket. She held green glowing hands over an unconscious patient, lying on a sterilized operating table. She was pulling poison out much like she had done with Kankuro, Gaara and Temari's brother. Only this time, the poison was a cerulean color. She continued to pull the poison out into the chakra infused bubble, dropping it in the pan and returning to withdraw more.

Once the procedure was finished, Sakura jotted down something on the patient's chart and left the room. Her assistant followed as the steeped out into the busy hallway, accompanied with many injured ninja. She proceeded to grab another chart out of the holder on the wall.

"Sakura-Sama, perhaps you should take a break. You have worked on 10 crucial patients since your last break and that was..." The assistant looked at her watch, "13 hours ago"

Sakura sighed with exhaustion. She was so busy that she hadnt had time to take or break or realize how tired she was. Only when her assistant had mentioned how long she had actually been working, did the fatigue hit her. She had been working close to 19 hours, only taking a couple of naps that lasted no longer than around 30 minutes. She couldnt sleep knowing all the work that needed to be done, but Lady Tsunade had insisted she at least try for some sleep.

"Hitori-san, We are short staffed as it is. There are barely enough medics to compensate for half the amount of patients we have."

"Hai, Sakura-Sama, but you need rest yourself. You dont want to pass out while working on a patient."

Sakura sighed in defeat. Hitori was right. The Leaf ninja had aided a nearby village during a massive attack from the Sound. It was brutal. Many were wounded, some killed. Shinobi and Anbu had mostly all been dispatched into teams. Sakura stayed behind, unwillingly, of course. She was the best Medic, second to Tsunade herself. She had amazing chakra control and was able to endure procedures much longer than medic nins who had aced their exams with flying colors. She needed to be at the hospital. Most of the Leaf medic nins had been sent to the field to heal minor injuries, the rest were stationed at hospital to handle more sever cases.

The small village they were aiding didnt have many shinobi, no anbu, had a small pathetic excuse for a medical center, with only a couple of medic nins, (if they could be called that). They had barely enough experience and surely wouldnt pass a medic nin exam given by the leaf, so the wounded, from both villages, had to be brought to the leaf's hospital.

The sound had scaled a massive attack. Five Sound to every one person in the small village, a very unfair fight. Anbu was dispatched because Sound had dispatched their own Anbu and regular leaf Shinobi didnt stand a chance against them. Kakashi had been placed on an Anbu team, as had Yamato, Sai and Naruto. Naruto hadnt yet taken the Anbu exams, but the Hokage believed his power to be acceptable to serve as Anbu, and since this was an emergency, he was given temporary Anbu status. The four of them had been placed on a team together.

Sakura sighed once more, ready to go home and get some rest. She started to place the chart back in the wall box and stopped in her tracks. Her heart skipped a beat and she paled. Uzumaki, Naruto the chart read across the top. They were back. She was thrilled, knowing her team was back, but at the same time terrified. _Were they ok? Why was Naruto in here? Who else was? Was anyone seriously injured? Or wors_e ... She couldnt begin to think about the word that would finish her last sentence.

She raced to the room the chart said the patient was in, leaving Hitori behind, slightly confused. She opened the door and dashed in. Yamato and Sai were standing at the foot of the bed. Naruto looked over wearily at Sakura. "Hey, Sakura-chan" he managed to croak out faintly. "Naruto, what happened? Where are you injured? Sai, Yamato, have ..."

"Relax, were fine, Sakura. A few bruises and scrapes. We have already been taken care of." Yamato interrupted, reassuring her. "Dickless has a broken leg though." Sai chimed. Naruto scowled and was about to go off on Sai when the breath in his lungs was suddenly gone. Sakura was embracing him in a rib crushing hug.

"I'm so glad you aren't seriously injured!" She almost sobbed. Naruto smiled meekly and begin lightly tapping Sakura's shoulder. "C-c-c-ant br-eeeeeeathe" He wheezed out. Sakura gasped and imminently released him. Naruto sharply inhaled, and closed his eyes, relieved.

Sakura began to channel her chakra into Naruto's leg, mending bone and reattaching torn muscle. Her chakra light was now down to a barely visible light green. "Sakura, how long have you been working?" Yamato asked, concerned. Sakura ignored him and pulled away from Naruto. She reached in her pocket and pulled out a pill bottle. She opened it and removed a capsule, popped it in her mouth and swallowed. She began to work on Naruto's leg again.

Yamato was even more concerned. Was she popping pills to stay awake? As noble the reason behind it, it was still unacceptable. "Sakura..." Yamato said a stern voice. She looked up at him. "What was that?" He asked. She sighed and dropped her head. "They are almost like mini soldier pills. Highly concentrated. So much, that you can only take one every 36 hours. If you take more than one in that time, your chakra will rip you apart. They will replenish your chakra enough for another 10 hours or so."

Yamato sighed, relieved. Sakura worked another 30 minutes on Naruto's leg and once satisfied, she got up to leave. The soldier pill would replenish chakra, but not energy. She was going to take a short hour long nap, then a shower and return to the hospital. "I'll have Hitori get someone to bandage your leg Naruto. I have healed the break, but your muscles need time to re-stretch. Get up on it right now and you will surely injure yourself again, on top of the beating you will receive from me for not listening to me."

She turned the doorknob as she heard an audible gulp come from Naruto at her threat. Then she stopped in her tracks. "Where's Kakashi?" Between the relief of seeing them back, healing Naruto and almost draining her chakra, accompanied by her being almost delirious from lack of sleep, it hadnt even registered that he was not there. That sick feeling in her gut arose again, just like when she had seen Naruto's name on that chart.

"He went home. He was bleeding, but he said it was nothing major. You know how he hates hospitals." Sakura let out an aggravated sigh and put her hand to her head, as if trying to fend off a migraine. She walked out of the room, carefully shutting the door behind her. She told Hitori about Narutos leg and that she was going home for some rest. Hitori nodded and went off to get someone to do the bandaging.

Sakura passed a room that Tsunade was healing someone in. "Sakura, are you leaving?" "Hai, Shishou" "Good, go get a good nights rest. I dont want to see you back at this hospital for the next 6 hours, minimum!" Sakura inwardly groaned, but nodded as she headed towards the exit. Might as well anyways. She figured she was going to be a little busy.

* * *

><p>An angry sounding knocking turned banging sounded though the small, but livable apartment. Kakashi drug himself off of his bed. He reached the door and opened it, barely avoiding a strong fist, about to hit his head, expecting the door. There stood a fuming Sakura. She had expected a happy eye crease and a scratching of his neck, but to her hidden surprise, only darkened, tired eyes stared back at her. "What?" He asked, unamused and anything but Kakashi. She knew he was tired, but there was more to it. He still maintained his friendly attitude when he was tired. She raised her hand and pointed her finger. "Couch, NOW!"<p>

Kakashi groaned as he moved to the couch. Sakura was pissed. Pissed and worried. And beyond the point of tired. She didnt have the patience to mess around.

"Where are you injured?"

"I'm not. Nothing major"

"Bullshit."

His eyes quirked at her language. He focused intently on her face now. She look awful. Darkened eyes, dull with no brilliant color, cheeks seemed to be sunken in a little and she was very pale. He was concerned, but too exhausted to show it.

"Dammit, Kakashi, WHERE?"

"My arm"

He extended his right arm to her and she grabbed hold of it gently. She began to work on the slashed skin and torn muscles. She worked on him for the next three hours. Having to ask him each time she finished, what was next, since he wouldnt tell her, without her asking. Once finished, Kakashi got up and headed for the shower. She waled back to his room and removed his bloodied sheets. She walked down the hall to the linen closet to grab another set of fresh sheets.

She opened the closet and not linens, but an extensive collection of icha icha and other romance themed novels stared back at her. She shook her head. Only Kakashi. She knocked on his bathroom door, intent on asking him where the sheets were. No reply. She knocked again. Nothing.

She cracked the door.

"Kakashi?"

"Yes? You can join if you like, but Im afraid I dont have the energy to make it memorable." He said in a teasingly amused tone.

She smiled. At least he was starting to sound like his old self. "Not that, Baka. Where are your clean sheets?"

"In here."

"Not funny. Seriously..."

"Seriously! Theres a linen closet behind the bathroom door. Thats where they are."

She started to walk in and without realizing, just happened to glance up at the shower. Much to her surprise, she saw the silhouette of her naked ex-sensei. He had a clear plastic shower curtain! Her eyes stayed on him a little longer than she cared to admit. He didnt notice. She suddenly snapped out of it and quickly made her way into the bathroom and opened the closet door, scanning its contents for fresh sheets. She found them and quickly exited. But not before taking one last glance at him as he was rinsing the shampoo out of his hair.

She placed the sheets on the bed and had just finished up as he walked in, wearing only a towel.

"Erhm, Im all done so I'll head back to the hospital. If you have any problems, come and get me. If you dont want to come to the hospital, have someone send for me."

He nodded. She began to leave. He caught her arm and she slowly turned back around. "Sakura. Thanks." He wrapped her in a hug. Ohhh shit. She was being pressed up against her ex sensei's naked dripping torso, with nothing covering him except a towel. She hesitantly hugged him back. "Your welcome. But dont you make me do this again. If you need me, come and get me."

"Got it"

She left his room, turning out his light as she went, and closed his apartment door behind her. She started her walk back to the hospital.

* * *

><p>Sakura had pulled another 10 hours. She was dragging. She finally felt like she could go home and get a full nights sleep. They had managed to get the patients down to around the number that they had on any given day. Hitori had given her some lunch, before she left to go home. Sakura sat in the medic lounge, eating a piece of chicken. Tsunade walked in, with Kakashi, Yamato and Sai trailing behind. They all sat at the the table she was sitting at.<p>

"I have a mission for you all."

Sakura continued picking at the meal before her, uninterested (_or rather just too damn tired to care_) in what Tsunade had to say, while the men perked up to listen. Sakura plucked another piece of meat and placed it in her mouth. "You leave in an hour." Sakura's fingers, inches from her face, pulling way, halted. She stopped in mid chew, eyes grew wide and she stared at Tsunade. This did not go unnoticed by the Hokage. "Thats why I told you to go home and get some rest Sakura, and why I said I didnt want to see you at this hospital for at least 6 hours. I wanted you to rest up before being sent out. The shinobi and Anbu are successfully fighting off the sound and no more recruits are needed to be sent as back-up. We can resume regular missions now. However, now that we have aided against the Sound, its possible that they may try to regroup and attack us. I need this team to do surveillance near the sound to watch for any suspicious behavior. Use all means necessary to obtain any scrolls that may be sent out, or handling any suspicious activity."

Yamato and Sai nodded. Tsunade got up and left the room. Kakashi suddenly slumped. Stricken with guilt. He knew Sakura hadnt slept like Tsunade had requested. She spent her down time healing him because he refused to go to the hospital to get care for his injuries. He looked over at her. She was no longer eating, just poking her food while staring at it. She stood up and tossed her plate in the trash. She turned to her team "Alright, we better go home and pack. We will meet at the gate in one hour."

The men got up and proceeded to leave behind her. Once at home, she continued to pack everything she needed. Moving much slower than usual, due to her fatigue. "This is going to be a long day" she muttered to herself. It was still morning. She had left Kakashi a couple of hours before midnight and returned to the hospital to continue working. Her team had all had rest, while she had none. She was going on close to 40 hours with barely an hour of sleep. It would be another 10 hours before they stopped to make camp. Even then, she would need to pull a night watch shift for at least 2 hours. Maybe she could pull first watch, then be able to sleep for 6 hours straight.

She gathered her pack, shut her front door and locked it and continued her path to the village gates. The three men were there waiting for her. Kakashi was there before her? How long had she taken?

"Sakura, are you sure you are ok to travel? You are 30 minutes late, and you are never late."

"I'm fine Sai, just couldnt find some of my things, thats all."

Kakashi knew this to be pure bullshit. Sakura was one of the most organized people he knew. She usually already had a mission bag pre packed. He knew she was tired, and he should have spoke up that Sakura hadnt slept, but then she would be in even more trouble for not bringing Kakashi into the hospital, rather than working off the books. She had already been caught giving him in-home-care before and had been reprimanded for it, yet she continued to do it because he was too much of an ass to go to the hospital. He made a mental note that next time, he would go in. He hated seeing her like this, especially when he was to blame. But she would never point a finger though. Not when it came to healing her team mates.

They set off on their journey, traveling through the trees at break neck speeds. Yamato in front, Sai behind him, then Kakashi and Sakura in the back. After about 4 hours of travel, Kakashi noticed her chakra signal falling behind. He turned to look at her and she was indeed losing speed.

"Lets stop for a little bit, guys"

Yamato and Sai dropped from the trees to follow Kakashi's suggestion. Lunch sounded good anyways. They had another 5-6 hours left until time to make camp for the night. Sakura dropped down, almost losing her balance when she landed. She tried to play it off, and no one noticed, except for Kakashi. Sakura pulled out bento boxes for everyone and passed them around. Kakashi slowly ate as he observed her. She was shaking slightly. Only a skilled eye like Kakashi's could see it though.

Her color was gone, and she looked like she would fall to the ground at any moment. Once they were finished, Yamato stood and stretched accompanied by Sai. "Thanks Sakura, that was good!" "Hai! Thank you ugly!" Sakura didnt even respond to Yamato's thanks, or Sai's unintended insult. Sai's face suddenly went to a confused look, and Yamato's in concern. Kakashi walked over to her. "Come on" he slouched down a bit, indicating for her to get on his back. "No, Im fine Kakashi, I can make it."

"We have another 5 hours of travel to go, you are not going to make it on your own, now get on." Kakashi started out calmly, then turning to stern. Sakura groaned, but complied. She climbed on his back and they began traveling again. She was so close to him, she could smell the soap and shampoo he was using last night. Her mind traveled back to when she saw his nude profile in the shower and she felt her cheeks get hot and felt a strange tingling sensation in her stomach.

She tried to brush off these thoughts, but it was futile. The thoughts plagued her for hours. Not allowing her to try and get some sleep. Finally, she was at the point where she was just to tired to even think of her own name. She wrapped her arms a little tighter around his neck and his grip on her thighs tightened slightly. He knew she was about to fall asleep. She snuggled her head into his back and fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

><p>End Chapter One<p>

Please R&R!

:)


	2. The Copy Nin

I do not own Naruto

**RECAP**

The previous Chapter _The Medic_ focused mainly on Sakura. She was working at the hospital. The leaf was aiding a nearby village during an attack brought on by the Sound. The wounded kept pouring in and Sakura was working non stop. Her team comes back. Tsunade gives them a mission. Naruto's leg was broken, so he was not able to join them on the mission. Sakura's lack of sleep is having an effect on her and Kakashi feels to blame.

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER TWO<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>The Copy Nin<strong>

Sakura slept the remaining few hours of travel before the sun was starting to set, signaling the team that it was time to make camp for the night. Once they found a clearing, they stopped and began to set up. Sai made a fire and Yamato set up Sakuras sleeping bag as Kakashi stood, holding her limp form in his arms. He gently placed her in her bed and covered her up.

"Sakura wont be taking a watch tonight. She needs to sleep." The other two nodded in agreement while looking at their exhausted team mate. Her eyes were sunken in, skin paled to make her look like porcelain. She looked like a fragile corpse in the light of the fire Sai had built. Kakashi sat down and explained to the other two what had happened the night before.

After eating their meal, Yamato and Sai got into their beds while Kakashi took first watch. He sat close to Sakura, watching her more than their surroundings. Pangs of guilt rode over him like a crashing tide on the ocean shore. _She should have been sleeping, not taking care of me. Dammit, how selfish am I? _

Kakashi had a habit of beating himself up over injured or dead teammates, family, or anyone close to him. The one that bothered him the most, was his loss of his friend, Obito, an Uchiha. When they were young teenagers, Obito had died under Kakashi's watch, on a team mission. he had chosen to follow ninja protocol, rather than try to save a fellow team mate who had been captured. Obito had gone after their team mate. It resulted in his death.

Before he died, Obito had made the choice to give Kakashi one of his sharingan eyes. Kakashi had always followed protocol because of his father. His father had chosen to over ride protocol to save a team mate and the village and his comrades had rejected him for it, singling him out as a failure. His father had taken his own life over it. Kakashi refused to be put in that position. That was one of the reasons he wore the mask.

He looked so like his father, and even though things had changed since then, he still felt that he should hide the face that so resembled the man who went against the ninja rules, to save a comrade. He felt ashamed. Another reason he wore the mask, was because he felt that by wearing it, no one could get close to a face that they didnt know, but Naruto and Sakura were slowly beginning to prove that theory wrong.

Sure, they were his ex-students, but He thought of Naruto as a little brother/son/friend. All in all, he reminded him allot of Obito. And then there was Sakura. He didnt necessarily think of her as a little sister or daughter. He couldnt really explain his relationship with her. She was a wonderful friend, and took care of him more than anyone in his life had. His mother had passed before he ever got to know her, so no one was really there to take care of him the way a mother would.

But he certainly didnt think of Sakura as a mother. Kakashi didnt know too much of love, he only imagined that what he felt for Naruto and Sakura was love. But the emotion he felt for Sakura was different from the one with Naruto. It was all very complicated and Kakashi didnt like complicated things. He was a bit like Shikamaru in this instance, he felt that complicated things were _a drag_. He just knew what he felt. He didnt try to explain it or figure it out.

As he watched Sakura sleeping soundly, he began to mull over his thoughts. He began to think about all the times she had come over to his house, after one of his missions, furious to find out he was wounded and didnt go to the hospital, or call on her. But the truth was, he knew she would find out, and she would come to him. He knew he was taking advantage of her in that sence, and he hated it, but honestly, when he came back from a mission, his team came first. get them medical attention, he would go home and sleep, then in the morning, he would call on her. But she never gave him that chance. She would be there, about to explode his door into splinters, shortly after he got home.

She arrived mad, but always left concerned and much kinder than when she arrived. He knew he was putting her in jeopardy each time, but Sakura was Sakura. When it came to her team, she would risk reprimand just to make sure they were ok. Sakura had a truly beautiful heart. She and Naruto both did. He knew that if it came down to it, he would gladly give his life to save either one of them.

He watched her sleep until his shift was over. He got up and walked over towards Yamato to wake him for his shift. All of the sudden, Yamato bolted up from his sleep, as did Sai. Sai started to scramble over to the fire to put it out.

"Never mind that, its too late for that. They know we are here." Kakashi stated in a deeply serious voice.

"Sai, wake Sakura!" Yamato ordered.

Sai ran over to do as he was told. He lightly shook her. Nothing. He kept shaking. The chakra signals of hostile nin was getting dangerously close, and coming up fast. He started to violently shake her. "Sakura! Wake up!" Kakashi turned back to look at them, worry etched in his visible eye. He didnt have time to go check on her. He quickly pushed his band up from his hidden eye, showing his sharingan. he used it to try and see what they were up against. There were allot of them. Perhaps too many.

With Sakura out of commission, they might be done for. He sighed, knowing their odds werent good, but they wouldnt give up without a fight. "Sai! Take Sakura far away from here! NOW! Dont stop til you get back to Konoha!" Kakashi shouted. Sai nodded and leaned down to pick up Sakura. Sai didnt noticed her beginning to stir. He had her in his arms, already taking to the trees. Her eyes bolted open. "Sai! Where are we going?" He stopped and landed down on the ground.

"Camp is being attacked. I couldnt get you awake, so Kakashi told me to get you back to Konoha as fast as I could."

"Shit, it's just him and Yamato fighting?"

Sai nodded and she started to run back towards camp. Sai followed behind her, grabbing his scroll and brush, already beginning to draw his ink animals for battle. As they reached the clearing, the sight before her almost made her scream. There were so many sound ninja, she didnt even know where to start. She couldnt even see Yamato or Kakashi. "Yamato! Kakashi, get out NOW!" She screamed as she adjusted her glove, and her fist started growing green.

Yamato pushed as many off of him as he could and started his escape, but noticed Kakashi wasnt following. He dove into the mass of ninja, knowing Kakashi was at the bottom of it. Sais ink lions were attacking them and pulling them off of the pile. He leapt on Kakashi and maneuvered his way through the mass. Once Sakura saw them emerge, she threw her chakra charged fist into the ground, creating a crater.

The rubble of the ground that once sat where the crater was, shot up into the sky, while the ninja fell into it. The rubble fell down on top of them, burying them alive. Yamato leaned Kakashi in a sitting position against a tree. He stood and looked at Sakura. "I managed to get this off the leader during the fight" He held up a scroll, with the Sound's well known red stamp indicating _classified information_.

Sakura nodded. "Are you hurt?" Yamato shook his head no. He looked down at Kakashi. Sakura's eyes followed.

* * *

><p>"Dad?"<p>

"Hi Son, what are you doing back here so soon?"

"I guess this means..."

"Not necessarily. You went back before."

"I dont think so. Pein isnt here to bring me back this time."

"Well, lets just sit and talk then."

Kakashi sat and talked to his father, like he had done before when Pein had attacked the village. This time, he wasnt going back. He knew that he should feel happy that it was his turn to give for someone else, but he was saddened, knowing that Sakura might feel the same pain he had felt for so many years. He wanted so badly to tell her that it wasnt her fault. It was then that realized, how Obito might have felt.

* * *

><p>"Kakashi? KAKASHI!"<p>

Sakura screamed as she looked over him. He had multiple Kunai stabbed in him. Some looked to have penetrated vital organs. "Shit!" She sobbed out while forcing chakra into her hands. "Sai, get these out!" He and Yamato began to take the weapons out of Kakashi. Sakura frantically began healing him, praying silently that she could heal him before it was too late, if it wasnt already. She knew her attempts would probably be futile, but she had to try.

* * *

><p>End Chapter Two<p>

Please R&R!


	3. The Ultimate Sacrifice

I do not own Naruto

**RECAP**

The previous Chapter _The Copy Nin_ focused mainly on Kakashi. They were on a surveillance mission to watch the Sound for any hint of a pending attack on Konoha for aiding the village they attacked. During their first night, they were attacked. Sakura was left desperately trying to heal Kakashi before it is too late.

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER THREE<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>The Ultimate Sacrifice<strong>

Sakura's chakra began to sputter and grow dimmer indicating she was losing it. She hadnt gotten enough rest to replenish her chakra fully. She was no where near being done healing Kakashi. She kept one hand over Kakashi, steadily healing. She took her other hand and reached in her pocket and grabbed the pill bottle. She popped open the lid. "Sakura! NO! It hasnt been long enough!" Yamato screamed. Sakura ignored him, and popped one of the pills and swallowed. Within seconds, her chakra grew to a bright green, bordering a turquoise color.

She was recharged and continued to work on Kakashi.

* * *

><p>He continued talking to his father. Suddenly a vision appeared before him. Sakura was sitting on top of him, screaming his name, tears running down her cheeks. He saw Yamato and Sai pulling numerous weapons out of him. He watched as she looked at her hands and suddenly fear was evident in her eyes. Then it was replaced by determination. She looked directly into his eyes and visibly straightened up. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a vial.<p>

She popped a small pill as Yamato was screaming "Sakura! NO! It hasnt been long enough!" She was ignoring him. Suddenly her face lit up a green color from the contrast of her chakra in her hands. It was much brighter than her usual chakra. What had she taken? Kakashi looked at Yamato's face. He was watching Sakura, with something close to fear and sorrow. Kakashi looked at Sai. He stood stunned. Tears in his eyes. _What the hell... Sai? Crying? What the hell is going on?_ Sakura had pure determination written on her face.

Suddenly the vision was gone. He looked over at his father. His father sat watching the fire, as if nothing had happened.

"Well Kid, I guess its that time again. I'm not gonna say, 'See you soon' because I dont want to."

Kakashi looked at his father thoroughly confused. His father watched him as he began to be pulled from the fireside into the darkness. He opened his eyes. It was still dark, but there was Sakura's face with the same determination on it that he had seen in the vision.

* * *

><p>"Kakashi!" She smiled. "Im not through yet, Ill be finished in a second. Try not to move." He saw Yamato and Sai with the same expression as the vision.<p>

"Wha-what was i-in that p-ill?" He quietly whispered. Sakura looked a little stunned. "Not right now. Try not to talk. You have a critical lung injury that Im working on."

That explained the pain in his chest. He looked at Sai and watched a tear drop fall from each eye. Yamato was starting to tear up too. He didnt like that little pill, and desperately wanted to know what it was. Something was making a man who showed rare emotion and little fear start to tear up and look terrified. Another man who grew up without emotion and was trying desperately to learn, but he really had no emotions, no matter how hard he tried to fake them, and yet here he was, stunned and tear falling down his cheeks.

Sakura wiped her brow and her chakra disappeared. "All done!" She stood up and extended her hand to help Kakashi get up. "I'm going down to the riverside to wash up. Ill be back in a few minutes, ok?" She started to walk off.

"What did she take?"

"Its a concentrated version of a soldier pill. You can only take one every 36 hours."

"Did she take one yesterday?"

"Yes, when she was healing Naruto. It hasnt been 36 hours."

"What happens if you take two in 36 hours?"

Yamato's face grew grim. Sai still stood stunned. Kakashi had his answer. He immediately rushed after her. The two men following. They reached the riverside and Sakura was hunched over the waters edge. Her skin was glowing a light green. She seemed to be having trouble breathing.

"Sakura!" Kakashi rushed over to her. "Kakashi! You should be back at camp resting! You almost died!" "What and leave you out here to die alone? You wouldnt let me die alone, why should I let..." He broke down into sobs and grabbed her. He held her close to him. "Why Sakura? Why? I was supposed to die to save you, not the other way around."

Sakura chuckled between coughing. "You stubborn old man, you have saved so many lives, and will continue to save them. Besides Naruto needs you..." "He needs you too" "Yeah, he needs me, I've probably already given the poor kid brain damage from all the times Ive hit him in the head." Kakashi smiled through his tears.

Sai walked up to them. "You know, I only called you ugly at first because I was confused, but after I learned otherwise, I continued because I liked how you looked when you got mad. You are Naruto are such great friends, and I felt like I had that too when you got mad at me. I think you are actually quite pretty."

Sakura coughed again and laughed. "Thank you, Sai"

Yamato walked up and smiled at her through her tears. "Dont ever stop giving Naruto the scary face, ok?" Yamato laughed and nodded.

She turned her gaze back to Kakashi. "Take care of him and tell him I loved him so much. He was like a brother to me." He tried hard to hold it together. This really was it. He smiled a fake smile and nodded. He brought his hand up to her cheek and carefully caressed it. "Im so sor.." She placed her finger to his lips and Shhh-ed him. "I know, but dont you go on through life with guilt. This was the way I was meant to go. I wouldnt have it any other way."

"I should have done this a long time ago." He leaned down and placed his lips carefully over hers. Their eyes closed. She brought her hand up to his neck and pulled him close. He had never wanted to focus on how far his feelings went with her, but in this very moment, he knew. And now it was too late for what could have been.

Why would she bring him back to watch her die? The green glow of her chakra was starting to intensify. Her chakra was expanding and soon it would kill her. He knew there wasnt anything that could be done, but he was going to try. "Pack up and head back to Konoha. Our mission is complete. We have the scroll. Im teleporting her back to Konoha. Shes not going to die in these woods. Im taking her home."

The men nodded in understanding. Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke with a dying Sakura in his arms.

* * *

><p>End Chapter Three<p>

Please R&R!


	4. Saving Me

I do not own Naruto

**RECAP**

The previous Chapter _The Ultimate Sacrifice_ Kakashi almost dies. Sakura is able to save him, but only at the expense of her own life. Kakashi is told by the others about her sacrifice. Tearful goodbyes are said. Kakashi brings her home, so that she can die in her village, rather than out in the woods. Tsunade has an idea to save her, but it may be too late.

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER FOUR<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Saving Me<strong>

He appeared at the gates. He rushed over to the Hokage building. Tsunade would want to see her ... before. He kicked open the Hokage's door. She was luckily still awake, doing paperwork.

"What is the meaning of this Hata..." She stopped dead in her sentence when she saw what was before her. "What happened?" "I got injured ... bad. She was trying to save me and she took a pill that recharged her chakra. She took one yesterday too." Tsunade sighed angrily. Sakura was now unconscious. Her skin was glowing so bright that it almost hurt to look at her. Her skin was starting to crack in some areas.

"Take her to the training field. Try to wake her when you get there. If you can get her awake, she might have a chance, but you have to hurry. There isnt much time. Ill meet you there."

Kakashi teleported them to the training field. He began to lightly shake her. "Sakura, honey? You gotta wake up. Please wake up." Tsunade arrived and brought a vial over. "Smelling salts" she said as she waved the vial under Sakura's nose. Sakura started to stir. "Sakura, get up!" Tsunade demanded. Sakura weakly opened her eyes. "Hai, Shishou?"

"Sakura, I need you to take as much chakra as you can and channel it to your fist. I need you to punch the ground. I'm going to need you to do it a few times. I know you dont feel like it but you have to try."

Sakura nodded as she weakly pushed herself up. She wobbled to the middle of the field. She fell to the ground. "Sakura! Get up!" Tsunade demanded again. Kakashi thought she was being a bit harsh, but this was Sakura's last sensei and her methods were different from his.

Sakura pushed herself up and channeled chakra into her fist. She punched the ground. Nothing happened. "You gotta do better than that!" Tsunade yelled. Sakura tried again, this time, making the ground crack slightly. "Again, but with more chakra!"

Sakura did as she was told. Yamato and Sai appeared just as Sakura was punching into the ground again, making a small crater. "Yamato, Im glad you are here. I need your help." Tsunade said. Yamato nodded and stepped forward. "I need to to keep using your wood technique. Make a wall for her to smash through. At least We wont have a huge crater like the one during the Pein era." Yamato nodded and made that hand signals and a large wooden wall came up from the ground.

"Punch the wall, Sakura!" Tsunade yelled. Sakura did as she was told. The process was repeated over and over. Each time she punched, her glowing skin dimmed. Once you could barely see any glow, Sakura fell to the ground, limp. "Take her to the hospital." Tsunade told Kakashi. He grabbed her up and teleported them to the hospital.

* * *

><p>Sakura had been in the operating room for hours. Tsunade finally came out. Kakashi, Yamato, Sai and Naruto all rose to their feet. Kakashi had sent Pakkun to get Naruto hours ago. "Shes stable, but shes going to be unconscious for a while. Due to the severity of her exhaustion, Im shocked that shes alive. She shouldnt have made it."<p>

"How did you know what to do?" Kakashi asked.

"Who do you think helped Sakura make the pill? She and I are the only medics who have a chance at surviving taking two pills in 36 hours. Sakura didnt know that though. She and I are able to control our medic chakra so well, that if we can disperse our chakra, once it begins to expand, we have a chance, but its risky. But to be as exhausted as she was, I just dont see how she made it. I never told her because I didnt want her risking her life. No other medic would survive it so I just kept it as it was."

Kakashi sighed. She knew she was giving her life to save him. He would make this up to her. He now had a chance to start with her what he thought he didnt have a chance to. As Tsunade started to walk off, Kakashi followed her. He had to speak with her.

* * *

><p>She opened her eyes slowly. There were flowers everywhere. She studied the room, then her eyes came to rest on Kakashi, who was asleep, a book lay open on his chest. She smiled and shook her head. But then she noticed it wasnt an icha icha book. She leaned over and carefully picked it up. <em>Basic Medic Jutsu<em>. Kakashi was reading a medical book?

She shook it a bit, expecting an icha icha book to fall out. Nothing. She looked at the page he was last reading. It was a chapter on symptoms and what they could be. She was now thoroughly confused.

Yes, Kakashi had been reading a medical book. He wanted to be sure if he and Sakura were in battle and she was injured, he would know what to do. But Sakura didnt know this.

Just then, the nurse came in. "Sakura Sama! Your awake!" Sakura smiled at her. She rushed out of the room. The noise had woken Kakashi. He looked at her and jumped out of his seat. He rushed over to the bedside and hugged her tightly.

He released his grip on her and placed his hand under her chin, pulling her gaze up to look at him. Hhe looked deep in her eyes. "I love you Sakura."

Without hesitation, she replied "I love you too Kakashi."

"No Sakura, I mean I _REALLY_ Love you. More than just a friend. I had been ignoring it. It wasnt until you were dying in my arms that my brain processed it for me. I couldnt imagine another day without you. I didnt want to think of what life would be like with you not there. I couldnt imagine coming home, hurt, and you banging my door down, pissed off as all hell at me, only to turn around and take the most delicate care of me. Now that I have the chance, Im not going to let it slip away. I want you to know my true feelings. Even if you dont feel the same, I wanted you to know."

Sakura sat still for a few seconds, processing everything he had just said.

"Kakashi, I do feel the same. I love you as a team mate, and a best friend, but I love you a little but more than that. I never tried anything because I figured you werent the type to love like that."

"Well, you were right. I didnt used to be, but thinking of what life would be like without you was just too much. It just became all to clear to me."

He pulled his mask down, and his lips were on hers. She kissed him back. Just then Tsunade walked in, accompanied by the nurse from earlier. Sakura immediately pulled away. Waiting for the lecture.

"Dont stop on my account." Tsunade said, amused.

Sakura's confusion was evident on her face. "But, the law..."

"Kakashi asked me the night you were brought in. Ive already talked with the elders. Since you are no longer student and teacher, and you have given your lives for each other, literally, they are going to allow it. They put that law in order to keep students from being taken advantage of, and to keep teachers in line. Its mainly meant towards the underage."

Sakura smiled and looked at Kakashi, who was returning her smile. She had never seen his maskless smile before and it sent sparks throughout her entire being. "I want to see that more often.." Sakura said to him. He smiled and leaned in to kiss her. "You will, if you will have me." "I will" she said softly as her lips grazed his. He pulled away, "I think they need to check you out. Im going to go let the others know you are awake." He got up and left the room. Tsunade began her exam on her student. "You can go home today, but you have to PROMISE to get some rest" Tsunade pretty much growled at her.

Sakura smiled. "Hai, Shishou." Naruto, Yamato and Sai came in. After a short visit with them, she shooed them out, so she could get ready to leave. "I can go home, but I have to take it easy" She told Kakashi. "Ok, your coming to my place then. Ill fix dinner and make SURE you dont leave my bed." He said in a playfully seductive tone. Her eyes went wide with surprise. She swatted him in the chest, lightly. "Pervert." He smiled and picked her up bridal style and teleported them to his house.

* * *

><p>The scroll revealed Intel that the Sound was planning on attacking the Leaf village. With many of the Sound nin injured or dead, and giving the leaf the advantage of knowing there was an attack coming, they would be ready when it happened. Having such great medics, the Leaf nin would be ready for anything.<p>

* * *

><p>End<p>

Please R&R!

If I have time later, I might make a story, branching off from this one. But for now, I will leave it as finished, in case I dont get around to writing another one. Hope you all enjoyed it!


End file.
